Various mechanical operations for machining a large number of workpieces involve the use, in succession, of several tools in a programmed and automatically controlled sequence. Machine lathes are designed with special features which adapt them for large volume, production work. Any number of identical parts can be reproduced accurately and rapidly on these machines. For this purpose, the workpiece is usually mounted on a lathe or similar machining center which is provided with an auxiliary apparatus. Examples of auxiliary apparatus which are used in conjunction with lathes include multi sided, indexing tool holders or turrets, which are designed to hold several tools, the machine becoming a turret lathe. Typically, the cutting tools are arranged radially and/or frontally on a rotating plate. The controlled rotation of the rotating plate brings the preselected tool into the working position for carrying out the required machining of the workpiece.
A turret is incorporated into a machine lathe to obtain increased part production through the progressive performance of different machining operations without removing the workpiece from its support, and without changing the tooling setup. In modern automatic turret lathes the turret is fitted with multiple machine tools consisting of standard tooling in combination with modular and/or relocated tooling. The cutting tools attached to each face of the turret by respective tool holders are successively brought into contact with the workpiece by rotating or indexing the turret When properly adjusted, the cutting tool setup need not be altered throughout the machining of a given part, allowing for the rapid machining of any quantity of similar parts with the initial tool setup.
However, the setting and adjustment of the cutting tools used on high volume production machines are tasks requiring great skill and, in most cases, considerable time. The tool holders pertaining thereto are relatively complicated and it is relatively difficult to obtain a satisfactory cutting position for each of the different tools. Therefore, for modularity and ease of use on a variety of machining operations, the majority of automatic turret lathes are configured with turrets having standard tool capability only. To upgrade the capability of the lathe for modular tool use requires the purchase of an additional independent turret and disassembly and reassembly of the indexing electronic and hydraulic components internal to the machine. In most instances, it is cost prohibitive to purchase an alternate turret for more modular machine operation. Additional costs are incurred due to the relatively lengthy, complicated changeover required to disassemble, reassemble and calibrate the indexing mechanisms of the alternate turret at each change over.
There is therefore provided according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, a turret extender as an accessory for Computer Numeric Controlled (CNC) lathes, equipped with a main turret which is indexable about an indexing axis. Referring to FIG. 3, the turret extender2 housing can support individually or in combination, one or more standard cutting tools, one or more boring bars, or one or more modular tools, in standard or relocated locations. The turret extender 2 mounts to and moves in unison with the existing Original Equipment Manufacturer""s (OEM) turret 1. Thus, the turret extender 2 utilizes the original indexing electronics and hydraulics of the OEM main turret 1, avoiding the relatively lengthy, complicated changeover required to disassemble, reassemble and calibrate the indexing mechanisms of alternate turrets. In addition, installation of turret extender 2 is further simplified by the fact that each turret extender 2 is customized to adapt to a particular OEM turret 1. In most instances the turret extender 2 can be adapted to mount to an OEM turret 1 using existing tooling mounts without the need to modify OEM turret 1.